Thermosafety control for railroad cars



Feb. 24, 1948.

N. V. MURPHY THERMO SAFETY CONTROL FOR RAILROAD CARS Filed NOV.. 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l NM, Nw

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UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Nicholas V. Murphy, Claymont. Del. Application November 10, 1945, Serial No. 627,818

My invention as described herein, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, consists of a signal control, an object of which is to provide means through which a train crew will be notified V vision of means for safeguarding the lives and limbs of train passengers and property loss which may result from a hotbox reaction.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my invention,

Figure 2 is a similar view, the in changed position, x

Figure 3 is a detailed elevational view illustrating the application of my signaling system,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a like view on line 5-9 of Figure l, and- Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of a journal box illustrating another means ci hooking up my device with the box.

While one embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the above referred to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose oi' illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any way departing from the spirit and intention of my device, which is to be limited only in accordance with Hthe yappended claims. And while I have stated the primary field of utility of my invention it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and inthe l following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and 2 Claims. (Cl. 246-.-169) parts being shown I elements throughout and in which I0, refers to my invention in its entirety and II, indicates a tube, the end I2, of which is closed by a cap I3,

threadedon the tube and secured by a lock- 5 nut It.

Fixed by rivets I8, to the interior of wall Il, is one end I8, oi a longitudinal leaf spring I9, the end 20, of which is free and is normally inclined away from the wall I'I. Mounted on the outer 10 surface 2|, of wall I 1, is an electric switch 22, provided with a contact 23, in the path of an electrode 2d, which is gravity actuated land which operates through an aperture 25, in the wall I1, and normally seats upon the portion 2E, of spring I9, and thus spaced from the contact 23.

Seated within the end 2l, of the tube II, is a normally contracted bellows spring or diaphragm 28, provided with a disk 29, on its end 30, which disk is slightly smaller in diameter than the interior 3|, of the tube II, and bears upon the spring I9, at all times and one function of which is to push spring I9, upward upo'n any undue expansion of the said diaphragm 28.

Operating within a relatively short tube 3i,v ilxed within tube II, is an elongated valve member 33, and within the interior 34, of tube 32 is connected a whistle tube'35, the lower end 36, of which is screw-threaded through aligned bores 3l and 38, in the respective tubes II and 32. Ihe valve member 33, is provided with a series of annular recesses 39, 40, 4I and 42, a head 43,v

terminating in a cone 44, and a tail-piece or end t5. Into the said end is threaded an end t8, oi' a valve stem 41, the free end 48, of which 35 lies within the path of the above referred to bellows disk 29.

The end 49, of tube 32, is cha'mfered to i'orm a valve seat 50, into which the chamfered inner terminal 5I, of the member 43, is adapted to, and 40 does, normally seat to close the passageway 52, through tube 32. ,The diameter of the integral collars 53, 5t and 55, of member 33, is such as to close the inlet 58, of whistle 35, as they may seat thereagainst.

Screw-threadedto end 5l, of tube II, is one terminal 58, of an L-coupling 59, upon the inner surface 60, of its arc 6 I, is formed a stop 62, which is in alignment with the apex 63, of the conic head M, which stop limits the outer movement of valve member 33.. The end 6l, of the L-connection has threaded thereinto a nipple 65, coupled at 66, to end B1, of a flexible hose 68, the other end 69, of which is fixed to a connection 10, of a train airline 1I, of a braking system. The tube II may be mountedupon the top wall 12,

3 of a journal box 13, or it may have its end 21', projecting through the end 14, o! a box 15, said end being located within the box under the .lournal 16. The disk 29, may have a cut-out 11, in which spring i3, may seat.

The operation of my safety signaling system is as follows:

conductor or other members of the train crew are usually located. This is an original signal and does not affect the brake system of the train due to the fact that the diaphragm has not yet advanced far enough to push against the end 49, of rod 41. If upon the initial signal the train is not immediately stopped, the gradually increasing heat in the box 13, or 15, will continue to further expand the diaphragm which will in turn first push rod 41, and with it valve, member 33, unseating valve 5l, permitting compressed air from the train line 1l, to pass into recess 39, and thence passthrough the whistle35, which will continue to sound until closed by collar 53. This loss of air in line 1 I, will very lightly apply brakes to the wheels of the entire train, tending to slow it down. However, if the train crew is not yet awake to the danger that there is a hot box, the further movement of the diaphragm. will continue to push out member 33, whereupon collar 53, passes from theA port 5B, andthe whistles start sounding again. This procedurecontinues and the gradually diminishing air in line 1I, slowly applies the train brakes until the train automatically comes to a standstill, thus eliminating danger of a possible wreck through jumping of the track by the wheel before it has been stopped from rolling through freezing of the journal thereto by its heat created expansion. All the time the above described invention is in action the danger lights 18, remain on.

It is of course obvious thatair escape tube 19, may be connected with a exible tube 80, which may in turn be connected with a system of whistles throughout the train whereby both visual and audible signals may be heard and seen regardless of the noise of a running train.

When the hot box has been reduced to normal heat and air again pumped into line 1|, the pres'- sure thereof through line 68, bearing against the head 43, due to the reduced passage 8l, between the head and tube end 51, will automatically re- Y 4 turn the valve member 33, to its normal inactive positlom'whereby the port 56, of pipe 32. will be closed, the diaphragm 18, will automatically contract to normal releasing the spring I9, to drop to normal. thus permitting electrode 2l, to drop out oi connection with contact 23, opening the electric circuit and extinguishing lights 18.

From the foregoing it becomes obvious that I have provided an unique, comparatively inexpensive, very simple and eiective safety device for trains.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after con` sidering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to, in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described my invention that which I claim as new and desire to procure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. A safety device for trains having an air brake system which comprises a housing, an expansible heat-responsive element at one end of said housing and in heat 'exchange relation with an axle journal box, an air brake line in communication with said housing adjacent its other end, an elongate valve body in said housing positioned to be moved longitudinally of the housing when heat developed in the journal box causes the heat responsive element to expand, said valve member having a plurality of annular grooves thereon which are spaced by annular shoulders,

a vent in said housing normally closed by saidv valve member and successively opened and closed by the grooves and annular shoulders of said valve member as it is moved longitudinally of the housing bythe expansible element in order' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Y Number Name Date 1,058,993 Marvin Apr. 15, 1913 1,318,369 Fischer Oct. 14, 1919 1,496,194 Ziegler June 3, 1924 1,559,022

Wensley Oct. 27, 1925 

